South Indian spicing, lemon pilau rice & mango riata. Everyone loves a roast chicken, well certainly most and this is a really simple but totally tasty way to tickle your roast bird. This dish packs a real flavour punch, is naturally delicious and brilliant for all occasions.

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 1 x 1.2 to 1.4kg local chicken, free range or organic if possible
  • 1 sachet Green Saffron's Korma spice blend
  • Sea salt to season
  • 300ml water or white wine
  • Couple of generous sprigs thyme
  • ½, lemon, juice and zest
  • 200ml Greek organic, natural yoghurt
  • 100g, butter at room temp
  • 60ml cream
  • 50g ginger, fresh root, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1, chilli, red, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 15ml sunflower oil,
  • 60g mild Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

Garnish:

  • Sliced coriander leaves and toasted almonds nibs for garnish

Lemon Pilau Rice:

  • ½ medium onion, finely diced
  • 25g butter
  • 1 cup of Green Saffron Aged Indian Basmati rice
  • 2½ cups of hot water
  • 1 level tsp turmeric powder
  • ½, lemon, juice and zest

Mango Riata:

  • 100g Green Saffron Mango Chutney
  • 300g full fat crème fraiche

Method

  1. Turn your oven to Gas Mk 4, 180°C
  2. Place the chicken in a roasting tray, sprinkle half of the sachet all over it with a little sea salt, pop the thyme under the bird, pour the water (or wine) around it, place on a middle shelf in your oven and roast for about 1hr and 20 minutes to 1hr and 30 minutes, until the bird is cooked.
  3. Meanwhile, pop the rest of the ingredients and the remaining spice blend into a food processor and blitz to a smooth, thick paste
  4. Remove the cooked chicken from the oven, take the bird out of the tray, set aside to rest and cover to keep warm. Pour the roasting juices through a sieve into a large saucepan, discard the sieve contents.
  5. Add the blitzed creamy mix to the pan, heat gently and bring to bubble, cook stirring occasionally for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce has come together and tastes amazing. Add the resting juices (and a little extra water if necessary), it should ideally be a single cream type consistency.

Assembly

  1. Carve the chicken, generously coat with the creamy sauce, serve with lemon pilau rice and grand dollops of mango riata. Enjoy!

Lemon Pilau Rice:

  1. Turn your oven on to 180°C, Gas mark 4
  2. On the hob, melt the ghee in a casserole dish over a gentle heat, then add the onion and sweat until it's good and soft. Tip in the rice, then stir around for a minute or two, coating all the grains with the melted butter
  3. Next, pour the hot water into the casserole, sprinkle in the turmeric, give it a quick and gentle stir. Cover the casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid and place on a middle shelf in your oven. After 10 - 12 minutes check the dish see if all the liquid has been absorbed
  4. Remove from the oven, take off the lid, sprinkle in the lemon juice and zest, fluff gently with a fork. Set aside to keep warm.

Mango Riata:

  1. Blitz the two ingredients together to a smooth consistency. Set aside in the fridge.